Canadian bureau wins tender to build stage for Mariinsky Theatre

29 Jul, 11:31 PM

Canadian architects have won the right to build a second stage at Russia's renowned Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, officials announced Tuesday.

The awarding of the contract to Diamond and Schmitt Architects to develop the opera and ballet house comes after Russia annulled the initial 2003 contract given to French architect Dominique Perrault on grounds of delays and impracticality, AFP writes.

Diamond and Schmitt, which teamed up to form a consortium with St Petersburg construction firm ViPS, "have won the open tender for the expansion of the Mariinsky Theatre," Russian Culture Minister Alexander Avdeyev said.

"I am very happy that the decision has been taken and the period of uncertainty is over," the Mariinsky's Director of Music and Principal Conductor Valery Gergiev said.

"The biggest advantage of the project over that of Dominique Perrault is that it is without doubt realisable."

Under the dynamic and workaholic Gergiev, the Mariinsky has become arguably Russia's most prestigious venue for music and ballet in recent years and some of its stars have achieved worldwide fame.

Its new building should be built by the end of 2011 for around 700,000 euros ($992,000). It had initially been planned to be completed in 2008. Perrault had vigorously denied Russian claims his project was flawed.

However, the Canadian project has still yet to be unveiled to the public and it must be "modified and improved", said the city's chief architect Yuri Mitiyurev.